Gotham GazetteGotham Gazette is an online publication covering New York policy and politics as well as news on public safety, transportation, education, finance and more.http://www.gothamgazette.com/component/tags/tag/the-manhattan-institute2018-02-22T07:21:53+00:00Webmasterwebmaster@gothamgazette.com‘Open The Books’ Site Tracks Government Spending, Aims to Reduce Waste2017-04-18T04:00:00+00:002017-04-18T04:00:00+00:00http://www.gothamgazette.com/?id=6880:open-the-books-site-tracks-government-spending-aims-to-reduce-wasteBen Max<p><img src="http://www.gothamgazette.com/images/graphics/2017/rename-this.jpg" alt="Adam Andrzejewski" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Adam Andrzejewski (photo: The Manhattan Institute)</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Illinois-based businessman and one-time candidate for Governor of that state, Adam Andrzejewski, boasts of running the “world’s largest private repository of public spending” with 3.5 billion individually captured government expenditures. Andrzejewski is the CEO and founder of <a href="http://www.openthebooks.com">OpenTheBooks.com</a>, an online transparency tool launched by his nonpartisan, nonprofit group, aptly named American Transparency, with the stated goals of reducing waste in government spending and combatting corruption.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Speaking to a room of about 90 people at an upscale club in Midtown Manhattan, at an event hosted by the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, Andrzejewski laid out his organization’s mission: “Every Dime. Online. In Real Time.” His pet project stems from his unsuccessful run as a Republican candidate for Governor of Illinois in 2010, when he said he ran on a platform of “forensic audits of state spending” and “aggressive transparency,” which he believes resonated with voters.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sourcing vast swathes of data through thousands of Freedom of Information Act requests each year, Andrzejewski says the website now contains nearly all federal expenditures since 2000, checkbook spending from 48 of 50 states from the last 10 years, and data on salary, pension, and vendor spending from about 60,000 municipalities.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In New York State, he said, they are close to having compiled all federal, state, and local expenditures. “We have about 90 cents on every dollar right now,” Andrzejewski said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">OpenTheBooks has made news in the past, with what Andrzejewski calls “oversight reports,” such as an analysis of <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/report-va-spent-millions-costly-art-veterans-waited/story?id=40970667">spending on luxury art</a> by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs; a report on the <a href="https://www.openthebooks.com/assets/1/7/Oversight_IvyLeagueInc_FINAL.pdf">billions in public funds</a> that go to Ivy League universities through tax benefits and other payments; and one on non-military federal agencies <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/u-s-agencies-spending-billions-guns-ammo-military-gear-article-1.2690191">procuring military equipment</a>; among others. The project also launched a mobile application, that allows users to pinpoint federal spending down to their zip code, allowing for “instant journalism,” Andrzejewski says.</p>
<p dir="ltr">More recently, after President Donald Trump’s threat to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities, the website <a href="https://www.openthebooks.com/assets/1/7/Oversight_FederalFundingofAmericasSanctuaryCities.pdf">analyzed</a> the scope of those potential cuts and their possible effect on municipalities. Within the next 30 days, the nonprofit will release its latest report on cash compensation at all federal agencies.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“The amount of federal waste, fraud, corruption and taxpayer abuse is systemic, it’s embedded and we do need [a] war on waste to root it out,” said Andrzejewski in response to a question from one of the attendees. “We need a new arms race of federal transparency from the private sector up against government,” he later said, again painting the fight in military terms.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The transparency website is not completely novel for New York, where others both in the private and public sectors have attempted to make government data, particularly about spending, publicly available and accessible. <a href="https://www.reclaimnewyork.org/about/">Reclaim New York</a>, a nonprofit government transparency project, has compiled checkbook spending while the <a href="https://www.empirecenter.org/data/">Empire Center for Public Policy</a>, a think tank, has more than 50 data sets on the state’s taxes, debt, spending, and other economic measures. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s <a href="http://www.openbooknewyork.com/index.htm">Open Book New York</a> portal shows state spending, while in New York City, Comptroller Scott Stringer’s <a href="http://www.checkbooknyc.com/spending_landing/yeartype/B/year/118">Checkbook NYC</a> shows city level indicators.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Andrzejewski praised those efforts (he worked with Reclaim New York on compiling New York’s spending data). “Kudos to the elected officials that don’t need a lawsuit but open the books by making that good government decision,” he told Gotham Gazette after the formal portion of the event, a lunch centered around his presentation. But he maintained that New York is the same as other states. “It’s a level playing field...New York is neither worse nor better but units of government do comply with the law, which is good news,” he said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For a man whose mission is transparency, however, Andrzejewski would not disclose his group’s donors, saying only that they consist of “foundations, corporations and individuals” who may face pressure if made public. He insisted that none of the group’s funding came from government sources. When asked if this was at odds with his goals, he refuted the premise. “We don’t need more private sector transparency,” he said. “We’re demanding government transparency.”</p>
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</p><p><img src="http://www.gothamgazette.com/images/graphics/2017/rename-this.jpg" alt="Adam Andrzejewski" width="600" height="400" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Adam Andrzejewski (photo: The Manhattan Institute)</p>
<hr />
<p dir="ltr">Illinois-based businessman and one-time candidate for Governor of that state, Adam Andrzejewski, boasts of running the “world’s largest private repository of public spending” with 3.5 billion individually captured government expenditures. Andrzejewski is the CEO and founder of <a href="http://www.openthebooks.com">OpenTheBooks.com</a>, an online transparency tool launched by his nonpartisan, nonprofit group, aptly named American Transparency, with the stated goals of reducing waste in government spending and combatting corruption.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Speaking to a room of about 90 people at an upscale club in Midtown Manhattan, at an event hosted by the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank, Andrzejewski laid out his organization’s mission: “Every Dime. Online. In Real Time.” His pet project stems from his unsuccessful run as a Republican candidate for Governor of Illinois in 2010, when he said he ran on a platform of “forensic audits of state spending” and “aggressive transparency,” which he believes resonated with voters.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sourcing vast swathes of data through thousands of Freedom of Information Act requests each year, Andrzejewski says the website now contains nearly all federal expenditures since 2000, checkbook spending from 48 of 50 states from the last 10 years, and data on salary, pension, and vendor spending from about 60,000 municipalities.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In New York State, he said, they are close to having compiled all federal, state, and local expenditures. “We have about 90 cents on every dollar right now,” Andrzejewski said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">OpenTheBooks has made news in the past, with what Andrzejewski calls “oversight reports,” such as an analysis of <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/report-va-spent-millions-costly-art-veterans-waited/story?id=40970667">spending on luxury art</a> by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs; a report on the <a href="https://www.openthebooks.com/assets/1/7/Oversight_IvyLeagueInc_FINAL.pdf">billions in public funds</a> that go to Ivy League universities through tax benefits and other payments; and one on non-military federal agencies <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/u-s-agencies-spending-billions-guns-ammo-military-gear-article-1.2690191">procuring military equipment</a>; among others. The project also launched a mobile application, that allows users to pinpoint federal spending down to their zip code, allowing for “instant journalism,” Andrzejewski says.</p>
<p dir="ltr">More recently, after President Donald Trump’s threat to cut federal funding to sanctuary cities, the website <a href="https://www.openthebooks.com/assets/1/7/Oversight_FederalFundingofAmericasSanctuaryCities.pdf">analyzed</a> the scope of those potential cuts and their possible effect on municipalities. Within the next 30 days, the nonprofit will release its latest report on cash compensation at all federal agencies.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“The amount of federal waste, fraud, corruption and taxpayer abuse is systemic, it’s embedded and we do need [a] war on waste to root it out,” said Andrzejewski in response to a question from one of the attendees. “We need a new arms race of federal transparency from the private sector up against government,” he later said, again painting the fight in military terms.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The transparency website is not completely novel for New York, where others both in the private and public sectors have attempted to make government data, particularly about spending, publicly available and accessible. <a href="https://www.reclaimnewyork.org/about/">Reclaim New York</a>, a nonprofit government transparency project, has compiled checkbook spending while the <a href="https://www.empirecenter.org/data/">Empire Center for Public Policy</a>, a think tank, has more than 50 data sets on the state’s taxes, debt, spending, and other economic measures. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s <a href="http://www.openbooknewyork.com/index.htm">Open Book New York</a> portal shows state spending, while in New York City, Comptroller Scott Stringer’s <a href="http://www.checkbooknyc.com/spending_landing/yeartype/B/year/118">Checkbook NYC</a> shows city level indicators.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Andrzejewski praised those efforts (he worked with Reclaim New York on compiling New York’s spending data). “Kudos to the elected officials that don’t need a lawsuit but open the books by making that good government decision,” he told Gotham Gazette after the formal portion of the event, a lunch centered around his presentation. But he maintained that New York is the same as other states. “It’s a level playing field...New York is neither worse nor better but units of government do comply with the law, which is good news,” he said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For a man whose mission is transparency, however, Andrzejewski would not disclose his group’s donors, saying only that they consist of “foundations, corporations and individuals” who may face pressure if made public. He insisted that none of the group’s funding came from government sources. When asked if this was at odds with his goals, he refuted the premise. “We don’t need more private sector transparency,” he said. “We’re demanding government transparency.”</p>
<p>

</p>What To Do When The L Train Closes2016-02-01T01:04:28+00:002016-02-01T01:04:28+00:00http://www.gothamgazette.com/?id=6129:what-to-do-when-the-l-trainSuper User<p dir="ltr"><img src="http://www.gothamgazette.com/images/graphics/2014/03/24560963766_a421b18d43_z.jpg" alt="mta out of service" height="399" width="600" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Out of service (photo: MTA/Patrick Cashin)</p>
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<p>The denizens of Williamsburg and Bushwick have responded to news of potential multiyear L train closures with a mix of shock, despair, and irritation. People are talking through the alternatives: taking the G, J, and M trains; boarding the East River Ferry; or even (gasp!) riding the bus. Quite likely Williamsburgers will also summon a swarm of UberPools and Lyft Lines unlike any seen in our time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Hysterics aside, it’s unlikely that the MTA would do a full, year-long double-tube shutdown. The most plausible plan is a long series of “nights and weekends” shutdowns for tube repairs, with the possibility of a brief total closure of both tubes to finish them “Fastrak”-style while rehabs of the 1st Avenue and Bedford stations and additional electrical substations are built. The latter service upgrades, which would permanently boost the line’s peak-hour capacity by 10 percent (a big deal for a subway line often at “crush” capacity during rush hour), depend on the timely success of <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/01/8587710/schumer-asks-feds-prioritize-l-train" target="_blank">Senator Chuck Schumer’s request to expedite federal funding</a>. Nothing is certain until the upgrade funding comes through, but some Sandy-related stretch of nights-and-weekends closures is sure to come, as the MTA’s initial bid requests describe a contract lasting <a href="http://www.subchat.com/read.asp?Id=1331886" target="_blank">about 40 months</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If the MTA does indeed briefly close both tunnels—or even just one at a time—what should be done to limit the carnage? First, carpool restrictions (HOV-2, or even HOV-3) on the Williamsburg Bridge during train closures—just like during transit strikes and natural disasters. Previous nights-and-weekends closures of the L have brought “Carmageddon” to the bridge, especially during UberPool and Lyft Line promotions. Ensuring that solo drivers don’t hog every lane is a surefire way to keep everyone moving.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I personally remember the bridge congestion during the UberPool $2.75-a-ride L train closure special, as it was both the first time I shared an UberPool and the first time I rode with a carsick middle-aged woman being ill out the back window into the East River.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So to minimize the stop-and-go, nausea-inducing congestion—and maximize the potential efficiency of ridesharing services—the city should cooperate with the MTA in implementing HOV restrictions on the bridge, and even dedicating a lane to shuttle buses and the B39. It’s not at all radical to take away a car lane for more efficient transportation modes: The Williamsburg Bridge was <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/WillB.extphoto.gif" target="_blank">built for streetcars</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This potential L train crisis is a reminder that better transit redundancy plans are needed for high-volume chokepoints, even if they inconvenience a comparatively small number of drivers. A truly radical long-term proposal would involve permanently replacing some car lanes with transit-only lanes and re-opening the abandoned streetcar terminal under Essex Street on the Manhattan side of the bridge. Current proposals include replacing the terminal with an <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/#photo-1" target="_blank">odd subterranean mushroom park</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But if the real estate industry ever gets serious about funding <a href="http://gothamist.com/2015/07/31/is_it_maybe_possibly_actually_time.php" target="_blank">a public-private waterfront streetcar</a> through Williamsburg, perhaps restoring the rail lanes to the old streetcar terminal could be added to the plan. No matter what the MTA decides, the coming L train closures are an opportunity to start getting creative with our transportation systems and our waterfront. Let’s hope at least some of these mitigation proposals get a serious hearing.</p>
<p dir="ltr">***<br />Alex Armlovich is a policy analyst at <a href="https://www.manhattan-institute.org/" target="_blank">the Manhattan Institute</a>. On Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/aarmlovi">@aarmlovi</a>.</p>
<p>

</p><p dir="ltr"><img src="http://www.gothamgazette.com/images/graphics/2014/03/24560963766_a421b18d43_z.jpg" alt="mta out of service" height="399" width="600" /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Out of service (photo: MTA/Patrick Cashin)</p>
<hr />
<p>The denizens of Williamsburg and Bushwick have responded to news of potential multiyear L train closures with a mix of shock, despair, and irritation. People are talking through the alternatives: taking the G, J, and M trains; boarding the East River Ferry; or even (gasp!) riding the bus. Quite likely Williamsburgers will also summon a swarm of UberPools and Lyft Lines unlike any seen in our time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Hysterics aside, it’s unlikely that the MTA would do a full, year-long double-tube shutdown. The most plausible plan is a long series of “nights and weekends” shutdowns for tube repairs, with the possibility of a brief total closure of both tubes to finish them “Fastrak”-style while rehabs of the 1st Avenue and Bedford stations and additional electrical substations are built. The latter service upgrades, which would permanently boost the line’s peak-hour capacity by 10 percent (a big deal for a subway line often at “crush” capacity during rush hour), depend on the timely success of <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/01/8587710/schumer-asks-feds-prioritize-l-train" target="_blank">Senator Chuck Schumer’s request to expedite federal funding</a>. Nothing is certain until the upgrade funding comes through, but some Sandy-related stretch of nights-and-weekends closures is sure to come, as the MTA’s initial bid requests describe a contract lasting <a href="http://www.subchat.com/read.asp?Id=1331886" target="_blank">about 40 months</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If the MTA does indeed briefly close both tunnels—or even just one at a time—what should be done to limit the carnage? First, carpool restrictions (HOV-2, or even HOV-3) on the Williamsburg Bridge during train closures—just like during transit strikes and natural disasters. Previous nights-and-weekends closures of the L have brought “Carmageddon” to the bridge, especially during UberPool and Lyft Line promotions. Ensuring that solo drivers don’t hog every lane is a surefire way to keep everyone moving.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I personally remember the bridge congestion during the UberPool $2.75-a-ride L train closure special, as it was both the first time I shared an UberPool and the first time I rode with a carsick middle-aged woman being ill out the back window into the East River.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So to minimize the stop-and-go, nausea-inducing congestion—and maximize the potential efficiency of ridesharing services—the city should cooperate with the MTA in implementing HOV restrictions on the bridge, and even dedicating a lane to shuttle buses and the B39. It’s not at all radical to take away a car lane for more efficient transportation modes: The Williamsburg Bridge was <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/abandoned/WillB.extphoto.gif" target="_blank">built for streetcars</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This potential L train crisis is a reminder that better transit redundancy plans are needed for high-volume chokepoints, even if they inconvenience a comparatively small number of drivers. A truly radical long-term proposal would involve permanently replacing some car lanes with transit-only lanes and re-opening the abandoned streetcar terminal under Essex Street on the Manhattan side of the bridge. Current proposals include replacing the terminal with an <a href="http://www.gothamgazette.com/#photo-1" target="_blank">odd subterranean mushroom park</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But if the real estate industry ever gets serious about funding <a href="http://gothamist.com/2015/07/31/is_it_maybe_possibly_actually_time.php" target="_blank">a public-private waterfront streetcar</a> through Williamsburg, perhaps restoring the rail lanes to the old streetcar terminal could be added to the plan. No matter what the MTA decides, the coming L train closures are an opportunity to start getting creative with our transportation systems and our waterfront. Let’s hope at least some of these mitigation proposals get a serious hearing.</p>
<p dir="ltr">***<br />Alex Armlovich is a policy analyst at <a href="https://www.manhattan-institute.org/" target="_blank">the Manhattan Institute</a>. On Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/aarmlovi">@aarmlovi</a>.</p>
<p>